


High School Shenanigans

by RanLocke



Category: DnD - Fandom
Genre: DnD inspired Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2018-10-24 20:45:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10749489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RanLocke/pseuds/RanLocke
Summary: These characters are based off some DnD characters I've had some fun enjoying gaming with. They gave me the okay to do this. But since I didn't want a DnD story I made it more like The New World of Darkness. It's not exactly alike. So keep that in mind. Anyways I know my DnD gal did not have the most creative name but eh. Please don't steal these characters they already have rightful owners.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> These characters are based off some DnD characters I've had some fun enjoying gaming with. They gave me the okay to do this. But since I didn't want a DnD story I made it more like The New World of Darkness. It's not exactly alike. So keep that in mind. Anyways I know my DnD gal did not have the most creative name but eh. Please don't steal these characters they already have rightful owners.

Morning.

The bane of every teenager ever in the world. Those who said other wise are lying sacks of shit. And should be punished for even uttering those words. Because seriously, waking up at seven AM ever morning sucked. Only thing worse than being forced up this early was those who enforced it. Like my brother was currently doing.

“Sans! GET! UP!” He ordered.

“Don't wanna.” I yawned with still closed eyes.

“We're going to be late for your first day of school!”

Aleks made it seem like the end of the world. In reality I was most likely doing everyone a favor. Had been doing this long enough to have an understanding of how this would go. Which is to say give it any where between a week or three. Then I would be bounced to another foster home. What could I say?

People liked to give a teenager like me hell at every turn.

Could've been the fact I had white hair. Or maybe it was my dashing chemical burn on half my face. Who didn't want for themselves after all? Being short happened to be another. As did the slight amount of extra weight I had. Which instantly made me go from 'fluffy' to 'fat'. After all it was outside the scope of what was socially acceptable for now a days.

So in short? Screw school. The less social interaction I had with other Humans the longer I could stay here. And I kind of liked that idea. Aleks had grown on me something fierce. Our folks were okay. Parents were parents no matter what. Least these ones didn't use me as beat stick or worse. Right change of thought.

Like how my bed was suddenly NOT under neath me. And my flailing hands where grabbing nothing but the air. Oh g'damn it. Curse Al-Al and his superior physique. Because what happened next was nothing short of a drawn out one sided fight. Which ended in favor because of interference from my faster mother.

I mean it was sorta impressive she could some how manage to dress a teenager in under three minutes. Guess she hadn't been joking about those younger years being in a rodeo. Almost made me seethe in a silent furry at my loss. Yes, I was a sore loser so what? Least I could admit it. Besides I REALLY hated school.

Least my adoptive father had the kindness to drive us to school rather than leave us at the mercy of buses our first day. But that didn't mean I didn't give him and Aleks the silent treatment from within the confines of my over sized hoodie the entire way. Color me surprised they accepted this without trying to place blame on me during the ride. This acceptance stuff was hard to adjust to. Same with all that kindness they gave me. Couldn't shake the feeling they would be demanding some sort of payment at any moment for their work.

Yeah twisted I know. But again, I've been around some crazy people in my life.

“Got your inhaler?” My father's voice cut through my deep thoughts.

“Yeah. Front pocket.” I pulled it out to erasure us both. “Epipen is in my bag. And Al-Al has one right?”

“Sure do. Just in case.”

“Good. Now off with the two of you. And Sans?”

“Eh?” I ducked back into the car.

“Have a good day.”

Sure old man. I could at least make a try. Not that I verbalized that. Just sort of nodded and closed the door. Well there wasn't any use putting it off any more. Because running off wasn't an option any more.

Aleks thwarted any attempt I may have by taking my hand. What was I five? Never mind that was best left unanswered after this mornings fiasco.

Didn't take long for me to convince him to go on his own. I could handle grabbing my stuff at the office. Had done it enough as of late anyways. So didn't really need him. Was as predictable as any other school I'd ventured into. The secretary was just a basket of sunshine when her boss wasn't around. Note the sarcasm if you will.

Rather than deal with 'another spoiled brat' as she so lovingly put it I was directed to her student helper. Whom quickly went about the normal routine of passive aggressive insults and or warnings about how important she was. Sweetheart if I ever give a fuck I promise you'll be the first to know. Until then, kindly shut your yapper. Sounded like one of those hyper active toy dog breeds. The one with a voice that could shatter glass if they really wanted to.

Was terror on my mood for the morning. Not that she ever knew. Though she came dangerously close to finding out. One more moment and I would have had to reconsider a secondary use for that copy machine she stood next to. Thankfully she was as big of a brown nosier as the other woman in the office. Whatever Gods there were help me.

I was going to need it in order to even survive til lunch at this rate.

Found my locker with minimal issue. Even got the code down pat with ease. What I didn't do however, was take into account the stupid jock and his whore who sauntered up beside me. Then slammed the door on the bad side of my face without remorse. Their laughter taunted me in my pain. Made my blood boil and reminded me why at times I wanted humanity to just burn.

But what in the hell could I do to them? The girl I maybe stood a chance against. If I got lucky and my lungs didn't try to kill me. Jock on the other hand would shut me down in a moments notice. Something he and I both had a silent understanding of. Could be why he shoved me in my disoriented state.

Then again they could just be the queen bee and her flavor of pet for the week. Which made this all more aggravating for me. Made her nearly untouchable without massive risk. And made him said risk. How I hate Mondays.

“So your the new fresh meat huh?” He gave me what I can only assume was meant to be a menacing grin.

Sure didn't waist time with threats. Nor did he scare me. Frankly he looked like a total idiot for leaning down just to get in my face. Boy his breath was rank. Something I relayed to him with the simple motion of waving a hand in front of my face. He looked none too pleased.

Literally growled at me for it.

“Have you ever seen me before this current moment in time?”

“Like, no why?” This girl was practically clinging to him.

“Then I'm the new kid.” I reopened my locker. “Try not to ask me pointless questions in the future. Especially ones you can figure out with a little thing called common sense.”

“What was that you bitch?”

“God again with the growling? What are you some kind of mutt?” I was quickly loosing my calm with him. “Seriously if all your going to do is provoke me in hopes of having a new 'toy' to harass and or abuse during the year get lost.”

His hands grabbed the front of my hoodie. With ease he yanked me in front him. There was even more snarls from him as he looked about ready to pummel me. Jokes on him. I had done this song and dance more than he had. So he wasn't intimidating me in the slightest.

“I should teach you a lesson for that smart mouth.”

“Go ahead. Because I ain't scared of you Fido.” I couldn't help the lazy grin which tugged at my lips. “See the thing is I ain't going nothing to loose. You beat on me I tell the cops they arrest you and I get packed up to be sent off to another foster home.” He blinked at me in astonishment. “Or you can let me go. Back it up and start off small. You know, work your way up to beating me like I'm sure you do to yourself on those lonely nights at home.”

“You just love the fact your putting your name on your death warrant don't you?”

“Listen, Rover, whatever you think of doing to me will be absurdly nothing stacked against what I have already endured. But please, do try and prove me wrong. Would love for that to finally happen.”

Oh look at that. Big guy was having issues braining properly. What a surprise that. Well if he was gonna leave himself open I may was well take a pot shot or two at his, uh, toy? I had to adjust my line of sight. Wrapping on half your face did that.

Anyways one look reassured me that toy was the correct term for her. She was the picture perfect high school model girlfriend. Only thing she had that I wanted was proper height. Clocking in at five flat made life a pain sometimes. Anyways time for shenanigans. Started off with a real nice smile to the Burnett and took it from there.

“What do you want freak?”

“Scathing. No love for the new kid then?”

“Why would I bother with someone like you?”

“Ah. And there is it. You assume I care about image.”

“You should. Other wise your fat ass will never get laid.”

“Sweetheart trust me when I say I am glad that I will never, ever, encounter the issue of STD's. You on the other hand well...don't tell your boy toy but my bets on your having at least three already.”

Sure the wind was knocked out of me after jock toy slammed me against some lockers but the look on the girls face made it all worth while. The jock leaned back. His arm winding up for what would certainly be a nasty punch to my face. Ugh, why was it always the face? Well if he was gonna hit me may as well make sure to smile for him. Always riled up the bullies even more so than they already were. What could I say, I did my job pretty damn good.

Imagine my shock when another took the liberty of grabbing the wrist of my would be attacker. Mystified as to whom would even stand up for the new kid I followed the arm.

“...B-bro?!” I stammered. “W-what are you doing here?”

Crap how much had he managed to over hear? Damn it things were going to hell in a different way now!

“What the hell man, lemme go.” Said jock demanded.

“I suggest you walk away. Right now. Before you do something you'll regret.” Aleks responded.

Never had heard my adoptive sibling speak like that. Chilled me to the bone. The would be bully however seemed to be sizing him up. I could just feel the tension in the air as yet another round of snarls emanated from the lips of my captor. And then, just like that, he let me go. Guess I wasn't the only one mildly intimidated by the change in my brother's demeanor.

“Tch. Whatever. Stupid cow isn't worth my time.”

With one last mild shove against the metal doors behind me he stormed off. The girl following close behind. Shooting me a dirty look no less. Like she wanted to kill me. Or something I guess. Didn't much care.

Point was now we were alone. And it was really quite. Seeing as how he was standing there with clenched fists I decided it was better if I did the talking.

“Bro I-”

“Do you really hate me that much?”

Not sure what hurt more. His voice and the way it sounded. Or those words in particular.

“W-what?! No! Who the hell told you that?”

“Then why would you go picking fights?” He looked me in the eyes, clearly on the brinks of crying. 

“Why would I want to leave you? You're the best brother I've had in all these years. You named me for Gods sake! Why would...I ever...” My voice fizzled out and morphed into a massive shoulder heaving sigh. “I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't be picking fights. It's just how I've operated for so long it's become second hand nature.”

“Well, I forgive you. And I know you can do a little better.”

“Heh. All I have to do is try, right?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Heh. Thanks bro.”

He was quick to administer a brief hug. Needed that more than I knew.

“Would you like me to help you find your first class?”

“Yeah. I mean, if it's not much of an inconvenience for ya.”

“None at all. Anything for you Sans.”

“Bro. You're the coolest.”

-Lunch-

This place was way too crowed. Not to mention loud. Why had the moved me to such a big school? Had enough time operating like a normal person in smaller ones. Whatever guess it wasn't really their fault. Social workers were just doing their jobs.

At least I had found a table all to myself in the back. Nearly away from everything. Meant it was safe for me to lean back in my chair and catch up on a bit of sleep. With a yank my hood fell over my eyes. There we go. In the future if I could ever find a quite dark spot to do this in I'd have it made. For now this would just have to suffice.

“Well hello there handsome.”

“Zz-wha-?”

Funny, don't remember falling asleep with arms draped over my shoulder. Or what I could only assume was the chest of another woman against the back of my head. Because of these factors I flew into a small panic. Made quite the display of myself. Then again jerking yourself forward to get away from whoever was behind you did that. Clearly she found it amusing since there was giggling at this.

My head turned to glance over my shoulder and failed miserably at. It resulted in me turning the entirety of my body to the left. Just to get a look at whomever had been behind me this entire time.

“Oh!” She sounded shocked. “You're not a boy at all.”

“Nope. Happens a lot when people come up behind me. My posture isn't doing you any favors either. Strike one.” I playfully said.

“Oh don't be like that.” her hands were careful as they pushed down my hood. But the look of realization wasn't hard to miss, even before the fabric fell away. “You're blind...”

“Half blind.” Pointed at the left side of my face. “Other wise it would be pointless to turn around see? Anyways, strike two sweetheart.” I let a lazy grin take over.

“Well then why don't we go find someplace to ourselves and enjoy the day hm?”

“Tempting. But I gotta pass.”

“I don't bite you know.”

“Kinky. However I'm asexual. Sorry, but strike three.” My arms rested on the back of my chair. “So, do I get the pleasure of knowing your name at all?”

The teenager in question looked a bit unsure how to proceed from here. She pulled back some of her from her face. Let me see her green eyes a bit better. Though it was easy to see she wasn't all too happy with this turn of events.

“This is all wrong.”

“'Cuse me?”

Rather than answer she just turned. Semi bolting away from me. Well now. This was too tantalizing to ignore. Where in the world was this woman going? My nap had already been disturbed may as well sate my curiosity.

She was easy to trail. White hair with green tips made her stand out half way down the hall. Plus she was taller than me. Bonus points. Where ever she was going it was quite. And I liked that.

Didn't even close the door all the way when she went into the room. Hell didn't even bother to close it at all. Gave me the chance to just stand out in the hall eavesdropping. I know, shame on me. But just couldn't help myself sometimes. Besides if nothing was interesting I would head out.

“What do you mean it won't work?” A male's voice inquired with a thick Scottish accent.

“I tried. Really I did. Pulled out all the works for the new kid. But it just didn't work.”

“And why is that?”

“Well first off new kid is a girl not a guy.”

“When has that ever stopped you before? Honestly your charm should have worked even better.”

“An asexual girl...”

“Well, shit.”

“Also she's half blind.”

“Wait what?” The sound of an open palm slap to ones forehead. “Didja at least get her name?”

“I bailed after strike three. She kept count.”

“So we have nothing. You DO realize this means that she won't want to listen to a damn thing we've got to say after this right?”

There was a deafening silence. Deciding it was best to stay out of sight I reached over and banged my knuckles against the wooden surface. Not too hard, just enough to be heard.

“Knock, knock.” I couldn't help my smile.

“Who the hell?” Scottish guy sounded mighty befuddled.

“Is that how you answer a door?” I laughed. “Knock, knock.”

“Whose there?”

“Dishes.”

“Dishes who?”

“Dishes a very bad joke.”

A round of groans met my ears.

“Hey you can't be mad at her. She was telling the truth.” One of the males laughed.

“True.” I finally stepped into sight. “But that don't mean he has to necessarily like it.”

“Aye. That's also true.”

Damn he was a tall one. Easily to spot in a crowd at least. Long black hair and green eyes. Hm, looked like he had been in a few scuffles too. Given his football jersey that made perfect sense. Now uh, where was the other one?

“Uh...there was another guy in here right? And I'm not going crazy?”

“Aye. I'm right here.”

Drew my sight down towards the desks. A rather young-ish looking male sat there. He was currently playing with a deck of cards.

“Uh? Am I being recorded? Because you just seem a bit young to be here is all.”

“It never stops being amusing how many people say that. I'm certain my hair don't help my case any.”

“Yeah silver is an interesting one. Though I've got little room to talk. Speaking of, why am I so important to you people?”

“The name's Elron. The lovely lady who I sent to fetch you is Ivy. And this big fellow here is Yiam.”

“Hm. Nice to have names.”

“What about you lass?”

“Sans.”

“..JUST Sans?” He quirked a brow.

“Just. Sans.” I stuffed my hands into my pockets as I entered the room.

“Where is your boyfriend?” Yiam asked.

“Boyfriend?” I parroted back.

“Yeah. I was just about to step in this morning with Rick but he beat me too it.”

“Oh. That was a my brother.”

“Didn't know Aleks had any siblings.” Elron mused. “Care for a game?” He had started to dish out cards regardless of my answer.

“I'm not his real sister. Adopted. And only if its Go Fish. Donnno any thing else.”

“Take a seat then. I'll teach you how to play poker.”

Charming. Easy to tell this one had a hidden agenda. Sorta wore it on his sleeve. But I was a little too cranky to deal with that.

“Look just cut the crap. What do you want me with me?”

“Well, then right to business I like that.”

“If your into some shady business I'm out. I don't bust laws. Or hustle drugs. Or win fights. Normally loose those.” I slumped into an empty chair. “If any of those are the reason you wanted to speak with me I'll see myself out right now.”

“Seems like you've lived quite the exciting live Sans.”

“Not really El.”

“Only my friends call me that.”

“Fine.” My eyes rolled. “Elron. What is it you want with me?”

“To talk.”

“About what?”

“Joining us.”

“What are you? Some sort of club?”

“Of sorts. You could say that yes.”

“Right. I'ma give it to your straight. You want me to sit here and listen to your crap? Then you better be up front and honest with me right now.”

“Are you sure you can handle that?”

“The hell does that mean?”

“Hm. I was worried about that. Tell me how much do you really know about this school?”

“Like what? It's academic program? How much money is funneled into it?”

“No. More like the student body itself.”

“...It's a high school what else is there to know?”

“Did your brother not tell you anything?”

“Tell me what? This a hell hole! Just like all of the other countless ones I've been in over the years.”

“I assure you. That Donatus High is like nothing you have ever experienced before.”

“...Wait. Donatus?” I felt my brows knit together. “As in the Latin word for _Gifted_? Who the hell named this place.”

“Oh you speak Latin? That's handy.” Elron smiled.

“Latin, Spanish, German, and Arabic. Learned them when I was younger.”

“Anyways, you should go home tonight and give this list of books a read over. Then come back tomorrow and we can chat. How's that sound?”

“Like your bloody crazy. What's with all this cloak and dagger bull? Just tell me what you want me to know.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because you don't know. The forces that be would punish me heavily for doing it. And you. Let's avoid that.”

“So once I know you can freely talk to me about this?”

“Yes.”

“You know how stupid that shit sounds right?”

“Oh believe me. I know. But I have to do this properly.”

“Fine. I'll do some reading. For amusement if nothing else.”

“Sans. One more word of warning.”

“This should be good.”

“Tight and avoid the cliques for now. Because you know so little they may try to take advantage of that.”

“And your not?”

“No. I'm trying to help you. Ask your brother. He can give you some insight as to what sort of group we are.”

“Next you'll be telling me you have a name.”

“We do.”

“Oh son of a...fine. And that is?”

“We are the Band of the Ringed Leaf.”


	2. Chapter 2

Just what in the hell was Elron trying to pull here? All of these books were really cryptic. Such as: Monster which rules within the hedged maze of lies. Or those whom have been woken from their slumber and now see the world with true eyes. Nothing but fairy-tales if I had to take a guess. So why on Earth was it so imperative I read this crock?

None of it was even real.

Crazy little bastard. Emphasis on little. He was shorter than me. Regardless. No point in fretting over it right now. Not when I had promised Al to be here cheering for him. Sure there were only tryouts but sometimes people needed reassurance they could do anything.

And Al was the kind of guy who could. Not like me. Way too lazy. Which is why I was comfortably sitting up in the bleachers. A small hand made flag waved idly in my grasp. His nickname had been written in black marker over the crisp white fabric. No way he wouldn't know it'd been made for him.

It also gave a good idea to on lookers who I was there to support. Which seemed to get a mixed bag of results. Worst had been some kid declaring my brother sucked. So I offered him my own thoughts. My middle finger. Best had been someone who came over and actually talked with me a bit.

They too believed in my brother. Wanted him on the team again. Said he could be a pro one day. I believed 'em. Had seen Al in action before this. And it was totally achievable.

Just sort of felt moot point for me to be here. He was everything I wasn't. He was physically strong and clearly well liked. Aleks also wasn't a lazy snowball like I was. His exact words after two days of watching me do nothing but sleep. In my defense my previous “parents” - and I use the word loosely – were massive party animals. Wrecked havoc on both my sleep cycle and lungs.

Just watching him made me tired. But curious at the same time. What was it like to be in that good of shape? Maybe running wouldn't be so hard any more. Could even be fun. Pft, who was I kidding? Even if my lungs weren't actively trying to kill me every single day I would always be too much of a sloth to run.

Some people were just never meant to do anything good with themselves.

My entire body slackened. Aleks was busy with some drills. He wouldn't have time to look over for a bit. And according to their hand out his next rest would be in – had to check the time – oh lovely. In about forty-five minutes. I needed something to occupy myself until then.

Other wise I would just end up falling asleep out here in the open. And given the warm welcoming I had encountering before first bell that was a very bad idea. My homework was done so that option was out the window. Damn should have asked Elron for his deck of cards this afternoon. Doubt he would have parted with it but hey could've come in use right about now. What else was there for me to do?

Suppose I could meander down to the library to check out a few books I could find interest in. Knew that wouldn't happen until completing at least one of these silly little books Elron had recommended. Why? Just hated to leave a book unfinished was all. Cursed myself mentally for being like this. Never thought my own drive to see a story through would be my down fall.

May as well start with that Children of Luna one then. Such an awkward name. Now where had I placed that damn thing? Emptying my bag revealed the blasted thing wasn't there.

“...Fuck...” I cursed under my breath.

Now I had two problems. The first being I couldn't return the blasted thing. I was going to get so many late fees for this. And second was I would never be able to finish it. Ugh, that thought drove me more crazy than it had a right to. It was just some book filled with old fables anyways.

Of all the little ticks that made me, me why did I have to develop this one? I blamed the old man for this. He had always insisted I read the entirety of a book before he gave me a new one. You know when he wasn't beating me with it. Or jabbing needles into me. Guess it had just become habit from then.

You know for all the shit I talked about him the jerk had done some good with me. He made me actually do something with myself. Rather than allowing me to waist my potential like I had been my entire life. Then again I wasn't exactly using it to its fullest right now was I? Wonder if it had been his influence which had made me so good at lying when it came to my intelligence. Nah, that was on me, never had felt comfortable with people knowing that little tidbit about me.

“Hey, Sans.”

“Hm?”

The sound of another Humans voice had me snapping out of my own mind. Right, I was still out in public wasn't I? Wait a tic. Who in the hell was calling me by name? People seriously paid attention to detail here if so. Was a bit shocking to me actually.

My head turned of its own. More out of memory than anything. Was the best way to make sure I could duck those on coming blows from books (or the occasional fist) after all. Anyways found myself coming face-to-face with that really big guy from this morning. The scruffy looking one. Had said his name was Yiam right?

“Thought that was you.” He looked so damn ecstatic to see me.

“Uh..Yiam yeah?” I shamefully gawked while he hefted himself into the bleachers with me. A vigorous nod of his head told me that was the correct answer. “Oh good. I didn't completely loose my mind today then.”

Either he didn't want to bother with responding or hadn't caught that. Both was fine with me. What he did do however was rummage around his own bag and pull out a book. Which he then proceeded to hand me. I felt my own hand lifting up in protest. There wasn't any reason for him to give me something of his.

No sooner had I laid eyes on the cover the words came to a screeching halt on my tongue. My missing book. Holy hell he not only had found but was returning this to me? Wait a second. How the hell had he known it was in my possession in the first place? Oh wait, that's right, Elron had been the one to give me that silly list.

Just the guy who he referred to as brother. And who apparently called the shots in the uh, little group they had going. Honestly maybe cult was a better word for it at this point. Actually...that seemed a little harsh. Even for me.

“I saw some jerks snatch it from your bag earlier today.” Yiam began to explain taking either little or no notice as to how this was clearly conflicting me. “But don't worry I gave 'em what for and got it back for you.”

“You didn't kill them did you?”

What in the hell was wrong with me. Why had THAT of all things been the first thing that came flying out of my mouth. Seriously. On another note I wouldn't mind if a stray lightning bolt just you know, sort of possibly, hit me right now. Anything to get out of this awkwardness I had just made.

“What?” He looked alarmed for such a suggestion. “No! Just knocked their heads together is all.”

It didn't bother him that had been my first question? Weird. Pretty sure any other normal person would have been wary as to the reason my conclusion of his had ended like that. I mean it wasn't exactly smiled upon when that was the first question out of your mouth. Especially when the cops were around. Holy hell don't even get me started on the can of worms that opened.

Must've added an extra three days when it came to processing me to a new home. At least that's how it felt. But here he was brushing it off like it didn't matter. As if my words were just sloppily strung together and held no meaning. Or maybe...he just really didn't care? I mean he sure as hell looked the part of some guy who could become deadly violent in a fight.

Hated to stereotype people like that but, I mean, he wasn't exactly helping his cause by admitting to roughing them up some either.

“Well, uh, thanks.” I more than willingly accepted the book from him.

“You okay Sans?” he tilted his head a bit.

“Just...”

“Just what?”

“Not use to people giving things to me. Much less things which were stolen from me.” I awkwardly confessed. “My uh, parent, wasn't exactly the best kind of guy.”

Who was I kidding? That asshole was about as kindly as a nuclear bomb. Or a massive sentient dessert cactus. Which ever was easier for you to wrap your brain around. Because everything between those two ranges fit as well. Hope he was choking on something both equally unpleasant and far too large for comfort wherever he was.

Because I knew it wasn't a jail cell as I had been promised. The guy was too connected. Too rich. People like him didn't just “go away”. No. They kept coming back until someone put them in their grave or they fell down into it.

I'm rather partial to the former of the two listed above.

“Well sounds like he sucks.”

Couldn't help but snort a bit of laughter at that. God if he had any inkling...

“Eh. You learn to live with it.”

“That's even worse.”

I just gave him an indifferent shrug of sorts. Seriously what did he want me to do about it? Not like I could go back in time and change shit. May as well make the best of what I was given in that case. Was what I had been doing these past few years anyways. Though it was super strange to see him mulling over this news.

Like hearing that someone could end up having a really shitty life was new to him. Which I found odd all on its own. Maybe the hand fate gave him was far better so he hadn't bothered to think about the possibility that others weren't so fortunate? I mean, yeah, that seemed the most likely. Still was baffling how people could operate like that. Then again maybe I was just way too painfully aware of things because I had grown up in an environment where it saved me from more pain than need be.

“Something on your mind?” I wondered playfully.

Seems he liked to answer through actions. Because I would watch as he plucked a rather large ring from his finger before offering it to me. Never one for the uh, finer, arts of seduction my face quickly scrunched up at the trinket. Just what in the world was he trying to pull? Hardly knew the guy. Would give him an A for bravado.

“This will help keep you nice and safe.”

“A ring?”

“Yep.”

“Don't it have to you know, fit the finger first to be of any use? And I can't punch to save my life. Also, I'm not marrying you.”

“Well I wasn't asking.” His remark made me inch back rather quickly. “Not yet at least.”

What the hell was that suppose to mean? Well, besides the painfully obvious that was. Not that that would be the case. I mean pft, clearly he had superior taste in women. You know, who weren't like me. Regardless may as well let him finish explaining.

“This has my own personal crest on it. So they'll know your under my protection. It'll make 'em think twice before messing with you.”

“Uh...Thank you? However there is still one issue.”

“What's that?”

“It's too big for me to wear on my finger. I'll end up loosing it.”

“Oh.” Yiam blinked. “Is that all? I can fix it.”

The big guy produced a chain from his backpack. That arose so many questions. Then again maybe I was just old fashioned? Hell this could be some sort of trend which had gone over my head. Partly because of my height. The other because I just didn't care.

Whatever the reason he had it. And used it. Because not only did he present to me a second time but he also secured it around my neck for me as well. Shockingly the ring itself was far heavier than then chain. But then again it was a hoop of metal. So maybe I shouldn't be so shocked to learn this.

“Uh, thanks?”

I still couldn't understand why he was doing this. It was just so out of the blue. Was he expecting payment of sorts? Ugh. That thought made my stomach do flips. My luck so far with boys at this school hadn't been the best.

Best I clarify what his intentions were now before it got out of hand.

“Look...I can't repay you for this.” I slipped the chain over my head and extended it towards him. “Not with cash, not with favors, and not with sex. I just want you to know that right now. So if that's gonna be an issue. Just take it back.”

“That's okay. I don't want you to pay me back for it anyways.”

Really in hindsight I should have just accepted this. You know, rolled with the punches and what not. But I just...couldn't. Some part of me wanted so blindly trust this guy. But another, stronger part of me, refused to believe it was just that simple. Everyone wanted something in return for their efforts right?

“Then why are you even bothering?”

“Because your cute.”

Oh.

“I distinctly remember Ivy mentioning that I'm and Ace.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Do you even know what an Asexual is?”

“Nope.”

Ah. Now things were starting to fall into place.

“So just to be clear...this isn't some asinine ploy by Elron to keep me under close surveillance, rather this is something of your own doing because of your infatuation with me.”

“Yep!”

Gods above. Help me. He was trying to do the impossible. And didn't even realize it.

“You know I can't, rather I don't exactly have the capability to uh...return these feelings. That's what makes me an asexual. I just don't get it. At all.” I hesitated but knew best to say this now rather than later. “If ever. So I just want you to know now, so you can try to find someone else to fixate upon okay? Don't need you chasing after something that might never be.” My hands offered him the chain he had placed around my neck.

Yiam sat there looking at the offered trinket. To me it seemed that he was a bit side himself knowing I'd been so honest. Like maybe he had expected me to just play along for the benefit of having someone to hide behind. But in reality I was the one who found themselves shocked at the outcome. Because Yiam gently pushed it back towards me. Shaking his head while grinning.

“Keep it. I don't mind waiting for you to come around.”

“...And if I never do?”

“I'm fine with that.”

Didn't feel right to bicker with him about how that most likely would never happen. So I did the crueler thing and allowed him to keep his fantasy. Was it really though? I mean he had been given ample warning. And still chose to pursue this fantasy he had created within the span of one day. Well, wasn't much else I could.

My attention was quick to shift back towards the field. Had they started up a mock game? It seemed logical. But then I took notice of how everyone aside from a select few were pitching rather than batting. Ah seems they had moved from drills to practicing their preferred positions. Especially since my bro was currently taking his place at home plate bat in hand.

Now things were gonna get interesting!

I picked myself up and moved closer towards the guard railing. The book could wait. Cheering for my brother couldn't. It's why I chose to stupidly climb on the metallic surface. Why I gripped the top one with one hand as I used the other to amplify the sound of my voice. All my efforts were rewarded with him waving back at me with a smile.

Aleks adjusted himself. Shifting most of his weight onto his right leg. In the same instant he would choke up on the bat. Keeping it firm but not so much he would be hindering himself. For the second time today I was baring witness to another side of my brother. Just how many were there in total?

This one was far less vicious. More disciplined. And ready for whatever was about to thrown his way. Rather literally by the way. The pitcher either didn't notice. Nor care. Might be where all that smack talk started to come from.

Not that I could really hear it. But from what I could it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. Pretty sure any middle school student with an attitude problem and their dysfunctional little prat of a sibling could have understood what he was saying. And I didn't like it. Aleks tuned it out far better than I did. Though I had to wonder why a teammate was doing that in the first place. From my understanding they were meant to be working together.

Then again I couldn't claim to know sports all that well. So maybe it was some new aged tactic to inspire him? ...

Nah, he was just being a colossal jack ass.

I honestly didn't register all too much. The haze of wanting to punch this sucker made it hard. Though the deafening crack of Aleks connecting with the ball was plenty. Snapped me out of my trance no issue. Just in time to see that thing sailing towards me. Which lead to me slightly panicking. And loosing my grip on the smooth bars which had been my anchor in my shenanigans.

Recovering had been near impossible. As my pointless floundering sent me lurching forwards towards the ground. And my feet sure as hell weren't going to catch me. Yiam made a rather daring attempt to grab me. Heard him holler my name before he tired. But the laws of gravity laughed at such a notion. Made my jacket tore so I guess that meant I wouldn't be hitting as hard?

Equations like that would have to be done at later time. Like when I could properly think again. Right now I was a bit busy tucking into myself in hopes of softening the blow. Though by all technicality I should have been rag-dolling right? Maybe I had enough time to loosen myself up then. Or my body could become outright unresponsive.

Crap.

Rather than the hardness of earth kissing the top [or back] of my skull a tight firmness coiled around my torso. That was it. No harm. No damage. And no pain. Was it too morbid to be thinking my neck had perhaps snapped and I was lingering in limbo at this very moment?

I'm sure someone had an objection somewhere. I think. Not that I hear any of it. But I did hear some discomforting grunts. Eh? Now that was unexpected.

My good eye opened. Once it had readjusted to the harsh sunlight I saw what was going on. It was about the same time my brother was able to place me onto the ground. Which was by far much softer than what I originally was going to endure. The smile was uncontrollable as it spread over my entire face. Oh man Aleks had no idea how thankful I was that he had managed to catch me!

Wait a second.

Al had been all the way over at home plate. My single eye pivoted towards the thing in question. It was all in response to having my logic return to me. It wasn't that I wasn't thankful for the rescue. Please believe me I was. Last thing I wanted was another ride to the hospital.

From home to the pitcher mound was sixty feet alone. But my seat was at the fence line located center field. Perfect home run territory. Meaning that distance was easily 300 or so feet away from where he had stood. So how? ...How had my brother managed to catch me?

-Evening-

It just didn't add up. No matter how many times I worked the bloody calculations it came out wrong. Or rather the answer told me what had happened wasn't physically possible. Aleks shouldn't have caught me. Not when I was already in motion towards the ground and picking up speed. Not when he had remained firmly planted at home base until I began my decent in the first place.

Three hundred feet. And he had manged to cross it in less than, what I had to estimate was about, four to five seconds. It just wasn't plausible. The record for the hundred meter dash set by men in 2009 was recorded at 9.58 seconds. When you converted 300 feet into meters then you were given the answer of roughly 91 point whatever the hell you wanted to argue it was. What this was telling me is that Aleks had run nearly 95 meters in less than 4-5 seconds to get to me.

Without being even so much as mildly winded.

Bullshit. Just absolute bullshit. I knew my brother was physically fit. But there was no way he was at the level of fitness an Olympic athlete had. Which left only one other option left for me to consider. And it was so stupid I could hardly even believe my brain had thought of it. But what other options was there?

Because even when I considered how adrenaline would have effects his body and countless other variables it just wasn't computing. I should have fallen on my head. Or at the very least my back. But I hadn't. Because my brother had preformed a feat of inhuman proportions. Like some sort of super hero or something.

God damn it Elron. This was his doing. Him and those accursed books. They were messing with my mind. Making me doubt logic and reason. All within the span of one day.

It made my head spin and throb in news way I'd never imagined. Ugh, was this what he did to ever new person at that school? Gifted my ass. More like con artist in the making. Gah. That jolt of pain hadn't been very kind.

Throbbing with needle like sharpness it lodged itself into the far reaches of my eye. One where not even good strong medication would be able to reach it. And it was only the beginning. I knew these pains. Ghostly and haunting they plagued every damn inch of skin higher than torso level. Now I know the term Phantom Pains was reserved for amputees but there wasn't anything better to call these pains.

They were memories of what had been done to me. Painful and livid. As if they were happening right that instant.

It meant I wouldn't be sleeping tonight. Because all that awaited for me in the world of dreams was a hellish nightmare. Working on this problem wasn't going to help me fight of my sleep. For that my brain had to be actively engaged in something. Not hitting a brick wall so the saying went. Though to me it felt more like it was actively trying to claw its way through a stone wall.

All in an effort to make sense of something which just didn't.

Heaving a sigh my arms pushed me away from the desk. The wheels on my chair caused me to move a small time after that. But other wise I sat there unsure of where to go. My homework was done. And if I used my cellphone to play music from the internet I would only end up passing out. Too late to even think about going for a walk.

Last time I did that my new mother had blown up my phone. They didn't mind me walking if need be. Just not so late. Didn't want creepers picking me up. Which was fair I supposed. Having proper parents was weird.

Though speaking of. I did still have those other books. Even if they were partly to blame for this entire illogical mess in the first place. They were the only key to my salvation at the moment. Which made me groan internally. It was gonna be one of those nights wasn't it?

Ah well. Was still better than falling asleep and dealing with...that. Bah may as well kill my curiosity while I had a decent chunk of time. Not like the night was gonna go any faster anyways. Besides since Yiam had been so kind as to return unto me the book in question I may as well read it.

My bed was quickly formed into a nest of sorts. Meaning my blankets and pillows were no doubt set up in some bizarre formation to those who weren't me. But hey man it was my bed. And it was cozier this way. Right now it was what mattered the most. Couldn't read a book if my comfort was forfeit.

Now then...mister book, amuse me about the children of Luna.


	3. Chapter 3

_Strapped down. Limbs held in place by agonizingly tight leather binds. Reinforced with something? Had to be. Then again with how many drugs were currently coursing through her blood it was evident resistance wasn't an option. Which made it all the more terrifying to her mind._

_Her freedom of movement had been one of things she prized most. Even if she wasn't the strongest of individuals. Moving meant she had a chance. Options to choose from and a direction of her own desire to follow. Being pinned down like some butterfly behind a case meant she was at the mercy of another. And they did not always care if she perished under their watch._

_Pain was also inevitable while in these situations. It's how it always was. Another reason why she treasured her own motility so highly. Because a day without pain was worth any and every debt she would rack up. She hated pain. And the high tolerance she'd gained for it over the years._

_At least when it came to them being inflicted upon her body. The moment such things were directed at the left side of her skull however. All of that endurance was gone. Washed away by one of the few things she hated with a burning passion in life. The only thing which topped it was the man whom inflicted such atrocities on her. He didn't deserve the title 'Father'. And yet he held it as if it were some sort of well earned trophy._

_Dangling it over her head when she became too rowdy. As if expecting that word to have some magically property over her. Like it somehow would make her more of a slave to his whim. But it didn't. No, she made valiant efforts to fight the beast off even harder with each little slip of the word in her general direction. Perhaps that was one reason for his ruthless nature when she finally had been strapped down onto his so called work bench._

_It was here that she would goat her attacker. Grinding his patients down to near nothing. Where after many long hours and several years the single threat was made to remove the offending appendage. Having little else to loose it was a bluff she called with fervor in her voice. He wouldn't dare remove it. Not when he drew such twisted elation from her raw, unchecked speech he drew out with the horrors he inflicted upon her._

_She had won that battle that day. But the war was still far from over. Funny how that came back to bite him in the ass later on. That was then. This however, was now. The midst of his playtime as she had dubbed it. He would lovingly refer to it as 'work'._

_Work for what? No, for whom was always the better question. Though it like countless others were always left unanswered. Really was annoying honestly. What caused him to have such a fixation upon her? It wasn't like she was anything special._

_People like her were a dime a dozen. At least...that's what she believed. It's what she had been told all those years. So why go to the lengths he had to keep her from flat-lining?_

_Pain blindsided her from some where in her lower calf muscle. It surged like liquid fire through her blood vessels, exploding in the form of white dots behind her good eye. The leg in question thrashed to the best of its ability. Which wasn't much given the strength of its shackle. Bastard had tightened them without her knowing. Guess he hadn't appreciated how her wild flailing disrupted his delicate procedure of slicing open her skin from last time._

_Gah, the pain was climbing. Sharpening and digging far deeper than need be. Then again that was all a matter of perspective wasn't it? She felt it wasn't needed. He felt that it was necessary to utterly destroy all that she was. Long ago she had lost count of it all._

_Of each shredded bit of flesh. What bones had been broken. And which had been snapped a second or third time. Her mind was hazy as to which tendons may have been slashed to ribbons before he reconstructed them with care. But why? Because she was nothing more than the human equivalent of a doll to his sick mind._

_His alone to enjoy. To pull apart and study before putting back together at his own leisure. Just as he was now. Just as he always would._

_The dissection continued. Blazing a trail up the middle of her torso with ease. Once again the depth of the gash sent panic through her brain. Surely he wasn't this oblivious to his carelessness, right? That unforgettable laughter of his spoke in such volumes. Such as how he knew, but he would not stop._

_Whatever instrument he had chosen this time made swift work of her vocal cords. It left her gasping in desperation. Trying fruitlessly to make any sort of sound. It had all happened so quickly. Bile tickled the back of her esophagus threatening escape from its small prison. Though it would have to wait its turn._

_For at that very moment his hand emerged. Pulling free from the darkness around her the accursed thing was quick as ever. And its hold took its place proudly over her left eye. The good doctor had stepped up his game. As she quickly found it futile to try and squirm her head away from his chilled touch. And with no resistance given he pried her eye lid open with ease._

_Slender and in pristine condition the object produced next caused all fight to slip away. Funny how the needle glint so strongly in this dark room. Were she able to muster up both courage and words no doubt the woman in his clutches would be questioning most of this. All with sharp words from that tongue of hers. The exact thing he had refused to rid himself of. But she wasn't, more she couldn't._

_Not as it dropped as heavy and quickly as a hammer in motion. Right into her blinded socket._

_~~~_

My body bolted upright all on its own. A cold sweat matted every inch of fabric to my body. And my chest was heaving. Well as best it could with what felt like a brick sat on my lungs. Fuck. Just, fuck.

One arm was quick to secure my inhaler despite shaking like it was the same consistency of jello. The medicated air trickled down my throat with a cooling sensation. Like when you stepped outside for the first time after a snowfall. That was all I felt for a good few moments. Then it was back to normal. Racing heart, shaking everything and...clutching the ring Yiam gave me?

Okay. I sat on my bed corrected. Because that was new. Maybe it was because this time he'd gone for my vocal cords? No, that had happened a few other times too. But I hadn't ever made a grab for my neck.

Weird. Crap, what time was it?!

Checking was pointless. Given how I could hear voices from the kitchen. Seems the folks and Al were already awake. Which meant that I was running late. As perusal after a nightmare. This meant I really had to fly out of here.

But I could salvage this. My bed sheets disagreed. And sent me tumbling to the floor with a loud and crippling thump. Caught the attention of those down stairs. All that chatter just stopped in favor of a single chair squeaking away from the table. That would be Aleks.

As I worked to untangle myself from the monstrous sheets my hands groped blindly for my pants. C'mon they had been right here last night! ...Hadn't they? How the hell had they gotten all the way over there?! Well out of my reach on the other side of the room. Contemplate the level of consciousness my pants had later, dress now.

“Sans?”

Strike one for Sansy [or was it two?]. That was not my brother. It was the female parental unit. Also known as: Mom.

“J-just a second!”

Gotcha you stupid ball of denim!

“Sweetheart are you alright?”

“Fine ma!” I growled managing to yank my jeans on.

Shirt was next. Couldn't use the one from yesterday. It was covered in grass stains and dirt. I groaned under my breath. Why couldn't I ever have an easy day?

“Sans honey?” She wasn't very good at hiding her anxiety.

“Fine!”

My answer earned a firm jiggle of the doorknob. Crap, not much time. Didn't need to invoke her ire this early in the morning. I was almost dressed. Just a few more seconds. Then we could all be on our marry way out the door. Sorry for being such a screw up ma'am.

I would do better in the future. Promise. My hands secured a tee finally. And I discarded the still damp tank top.

“Sans I'm going to opening the door now.”

Sure she got close. Hell the spare key had managed to unlock my bolt. Started to twist the knob too. But I was just a hair faster. Finished it up for her and yanked it open. Grin on my face while I held my left eye close. No sense in something that horrid this early in the morning!

“'m fine. Really. See?” I presented myself to her albeit out of breath just a small bit. “No need to worry. I was just getting ready.”

There was that motherly look of concern written across her face. I found it still so alien. How could she – or any sane being actually – want to invest their time in the likes of me? She should have known by now that I wasn't capable of doing things expected of kids now a days. And no matter how much she tried there just wasn't any possible way for me to repay all she gave me. Like I was suppose to be able to do.

Because that first and foremost meant I had to be “normal”. And I wasn't. No matter how hard I tried. Or people wished it to be true. However boisterous or silently. It wouldn't ever happen.

Without much warning a kiss was placed to my forehead. My matted bangs provided a cushion of sorts against it. Not that it fully stopped the sensation all together. Almost felt guilty for not having attempted to stop her. Afterwords she returned to the kitchen. Where she and my father and brother no doubt were awaiting my appearance.

Wish I could have apologized properly for being a burden to her entire life. Wish I could have been a decent Human being for once in my life. ...Sorry to disappoint...again.

\-----

It was strange how small things your life could change and you never even once knew. Well, not until they were suddenly big changes. And you looked back curious as to where it had all started. I believed myself to be quite the observer. Perhaps I'd given myself a bit too much credit. How else had chances this subtle slipped into my every day routine?

Like how walking to school with just my brother had been the norm. then suddenly one day that had just changed. Yiam had been happily awaiting our departure from home. And then suddenly the others started to trickle their way into our morning. Up to the point that my folks apparently now knew their names and eagerly welcomed them inside each morning. Where upon playful harassing banter was exchanged shamelessly before we would either walk or pile into someones car and head out.

During these times my lunch was rarely ever spent alone. Once again the same approach had been taken. Slowly integrating themselves at whatever table I'd chosen at random that day. Sometimes my brother would join us. But he had his own group of friends. And I could handle myself rather nicely.

This also meant that the quirks of others slowly became instilled within my brain. Like how the words Elron spoke to me weren't nearly as guarded as others outside of our little group. When speaking to others each word was carefully chosen. More often than not people drew their own – and very wrong – conclusion from his words. With me he was far more relaxed. As if I wasn't even a threat to him.

One could draw the assumption that it was because the little trouble maker was a con-artist in the making and knew how to play to his crowd. Me, he was still testing the waters trying to figure out. But drawing that conclusion just felt...wrong.

Ivy was a whole different story. She could go from fine to needing to be escorted out of the building in a nanosecond. Now that I reflected upon it more thoroughly this seemed to happen during large school gathering. Especially right after she and her cheer squad did their number. Could be the stress finally coming to a head. Being the head cheerleader couldn't be easy.

But that assumption seemed too flaky. It just didn't fit with her. Like at all. Ivy was such a strong woman in personality and confidence. Woman damn near oozed the shit. What made such a perfectly good strongly willed and driven woman suddenly need to beat a retreat faster than saw the flight of lighting?

Just didn't add up. Especially since she always played it off as nothing when I would ask her how she felt the next time I saw her. And that ranged anyplace from a few hours to a day or two.

Yiam's on the other hand, were so drastic and infrequent they really stuck out at me. Especially since it shook the very foundation of how he interacted with me. Suddenly I became like the plague to him. He avoided me. Going so far as to bolt out of any room we shared. Come the next day he was smothering me in hugs and cuddles. Like he was attempting to just soak himself in the smell of my new jacket [Yiam always told me it was a good sent, just sorta took his word for it].

Oh and that had been replaced for a brand new one too. Seems my brother refused to let me even attempt to fix the old one. Too far gone he said. We bickered over it for an entire weekend over the subject. Only reason it stopped there was because he had gifted me a replacement. Same color, same size only different was the small lining of fluffy fur around the hood.

But the gift hadn't stopped with that. I walked away with a warm fuzzy set of red gloves and a scarf of the same color. Plus whatever the hell they'd managed to find for me. All I knew is one day I had come home from school and bam. Tower of winter clothing sitting on my bed. Took hours to sort through all of it. But ma was insistent, said she would take back what didn't fit to exchange it for stuff that would.

Though that was a story for some other time. Right now I was just about done with some personal notes I had been taking. They weren't for school or nothing. But they were **about** school. When I started to take notice of the odd behavior of the Ringed Leaf I got curious. Was everyone else like this in school?

Well...come to find out the answer was a resounding: sorta, yeah.

Now that I had started to pay extra close attention there were things of interesting note cropping up all over the place. Not just with the student body. But the teachers as well. So let's start with the kids first. Elron hadn't been lying about those cliques everyone was part of. How I hadn't noticed it right off the bat was beyond me.

But the teenagers here were very animal like in their day-to-day interactions. Those whom shared the same marks were like families. Closely knit together and willing to sacrifice things for the others. Picking on one resulted in the whole gang getting involved. And no that wasn't me being judgmental. They each had a sort of way to identify whom they belonged too.

Weather it be dressing in particular colors. Or wearing unique but flashy jewelry. Hell some even sported tattoos. I'd seen some range from the size of a small ring to covering nearly a fourth of someone's torso. All to symbolize whom they stood with. And each one had their respected leaders. Along with potentially chosen right hands.

Head honchos never really did business without some muscle standing by. Threats were also a thing, something I became acutely aware on my third day of school. Not that it seemed to be the smartest play while Yiam was on call. But hey that wasn't my business. Just had the misfortune of hearing it while sitting at the table at lunch one day. If Elron hadn't stepped in I'm more than certain that punk would have been eating out of a straw for the rest of his life.

That's when everything started to sink in. Everyone here was so...territorial. To an almost animistic degree. But only when it came to keeping other groups off those whom they were attempting to – for better lack of words - “recruit” into their cluster. Thankfully I hadn't been the only one who had chosen that a fresh start here was good for ones health. They however cropped up over time rather than the start like me. But I did quickly become the only unclaimed student. Teachers sort of sat back, took up bets on who would go where. Thankfully they never took sides in the clubs themselves other wise we'd all be screwed.

And on the occasion it was deemed necessary they would step in to dissolve any fights. Most of the time they just picked up the sad sorry sack who lost. Funny how it took only five months of observation to realize all of this. Tch, I was loosing my touch. Oh well, guess I would just need to develop a new set of skills then. Since I wasn't living the same life that I had been for well, years.

“Hey.”

The voice had been so sudden. Booming firmly on my left. You know, where I was clearly effing blind. Caused me to drop everything I had been gathering for history class. More worried as to whom had called me and avoiding any and all harm I was quick to snap to attention. My supplies had fallen either on or around my feet making them a cinch to gather up when the time called for it.

Huh, I didn't know either of these goons. Wait. I take that back. One of them I sorta knew. Guy had challenged Yiam to an arm wrestling contest a few days ago. Ended up being soundly beaten. Never had seen the other smuck who was with him.

With my focus now on them they started speaking to one another. The tongue wasn't something I was very intimate with. Out of reflex to the situation I felt the left half of my face twitch upwards a small bit. Caused the crisp wrapping I wore to crinkle at the action. Them talking like that left me at a rather large disadvantage. Which was less than idea in a place like this. But I held my tongue. No sense in disrespecting their culture just because I couldn't understand a single god damn word. Rather I found another solution to the problem at hand.

“Can I help you?”

Certainly caught their attention now. Which meant they stopped speaking those funny words. Okay, problem partly solved. Here's to hoping they wouldn't attempt to go back to conversing in that same foreign language. Looser of the arm wrestling contest jerked his head to the side. Signaling to the other for something. This...could go either way really.

However once you took into account my astronomical amount of bad luck, coupled with several others factors...

“You're our bitch now.”

...This wasn't going to end well.

“'Xcuse me?”

“Are you as stupid as you are defective?” The jerk took a menacing step closer to me.

Rude. And I knew for a fact he was strong. Not an ideal combo for me to be dealing with while alone. But it's they seemed to have one track minds. Which might help me out of this situation. Could also make it a million times worse.

“No 'm just making sure I know to what ends you're using the word for. There are a few definitions after all.” I addressed in a respectful tone.

“What else is a bitch good for? You're going to give us a decent time and if you obey us like a good little whore we'll make it a pleasurable experience all around.”

“Well as wonderful as that sounds I'm sad to say there has been a bit of confusion on your side. See, I'm and Ace, slang for asexual, and I don't really, well, have the sex drive for that. Or anything really.” I confessed.

One of them reached out a bit quicker than I was comfortable with. And his hand took a much rougher hold on me than need be. Though I didn't dare tell him that to his face. Not while my arm was his captive. A prisoner he was more than willing to abuse with little shame. Knowing he would want a reaction I feigned a cringe at the slight pressure he applied.

Seemed to work if that smug smirk meant anything.

“You're coming with us. Willing or not. Understand?”

“...Yeah, sure. Just lemme grab my stuff an' we'll be good.”

Pleased with my submission he released his hold upon my arm. An accepting nod came from his partner.

This was no time to panic. I had to seem calm and relaxed other wise they would notice. Harder than it sounded knowing the guys right in front of me were trying to abduct and rape me. Sadly threats of kidnapping weren't anything new to me. But the threats of sexual assault were, and rather jarring at that. The thought of never seeing Aleks again really messed with my head.

He had been the closet thing to near perfection in my life. I say near because hey we still fought. And there were times he managed to annoy the living hell outta me. But he was the best brother I had. Nicest one for sure. He had been the only one kind enough to name me, so I felt I owed him a lot.

Or at least to be the best sibling I could for him. Apparently that had been a life long dream of his. And I wanted to help fulfill it.

To do that I needed to first and foremost focus. Do it for him. Not myself. My panic was a lot easier to deal with now. Smaller, quieter. Even it wanted to stay with Aleks.

So, what did I have my disposal?

Cover had to a thing. Something which would hold as I tried to get in contact with my brother or Yiam. Though given the tendencies for the football player to ditch class so he could hang out with Elron, he was the safer bet. One step at a time Sans, no use working yourself up over small details. I took my time packing my bag. Then crouched to pick up the mess of supplies at my feet.

Cover...the bathroom. It was close enough that running to it shouldn't be an issue. An' the door had a huge metal dead bolt for a lock. Though the flimsy stall doors offered me nothing if those idiots got in there with me. So I would need a distraction of sorts, or maybe stalling them. Just something to ensure I could lock the door on their faces.

Both would be possible if I could some how manage to pull it off.

Doing so simultaneously was a bad idea. One could counter it. Or evade it. Hell one of them if not both of them could recover quickly. And if I were a bettin' woman...it'd be mister “I'm annoyed at loosing” who was more of a threat. So, taking him out second was best. Still left the question as to how.

Not having weapons – proper ones at least – made this super hard to finagle. Improvisation only went so far after all. But it was all I had. So it would have to be enough. Wasn't very devout to anyone. But Gods above – any of them – help me.

My fingers curled around the last of my mess. Tucking a few writing utensils into my pocket. Epipen and inhaler were still there. Good. Now then. _Show time_.

Flesh was weak at protecting the body from most things. Like a ballpoint pen. When being driven into ones thigh. Wasn't a knife, but the idiot was in gym shorts. So I hadn't needed the edge of a blade to puncture skin. Something he no doubt would remember from this day onwards.

Pain worked in funny ways. Crippled us mostly. But it could also save our lives, forcing us to keep going. Such was not the case with the kid. Rather he became a prime target for me to shove off balance the second after striking.

Left his buddy dumbfounded. And gave me the opening I needed.

He was taller than me. Longer legs, and athletic himself. Taking all of this into account I should've never gotten as far as I did before being grabbed. His hands took a firm grasp on the back of my jacket. Of course it would. Because he was betting on the fact that me parting with it was out of the question

Which would have been correct under normal means. But fear did funny things to ones brain. My legs tried to propel me forwards. Found that impossible as he then yanked me back. Rather hard too. Worked perfect for me.

Since I hadn't been expecting such force I staggered back. He thought himself victorious. And he would have. You know, if my elbow didn't drive itself right into his balls. Right now he was learning that it sucked to be on the receiving end of mass in motion being pushed down by gravity and the extra weight of my form. Science bitch.

He dropped and so did I. Being that I was in motion to fall before all of this. Scrambling over the floor quick I made it top priority to get my feet underneath me again. Though that plan was also short lived. As the one I'd stabbed seemed to not only have recovered by caught up to me. Not good, defiantly not good!

“You stupid cunt!”

Oh, lovely, he was angry too. Still had the pen in his leg I noted when turning over. Kicking out of my captured sneaker was simple. Just pushed against the heel of it until my foot popped free. Then I tossed my jacket at the guys face. He would pull it off once he got up off his ass I'm sure.

But in the mean time I bolted. Got to my feet and dove right into the bathroom. Made sure to open the door as little as possible before slamming my back against the wooden blockade. Right was worth noting my lungs, while hurting, hadn't started to murder me. Locking the door finally gave me some conformation that I could relax.

I sucked down my medicated air at my leisure. Damn that had gotten hairy quick.

With a heavy heave of my shoulders I closed my eyes. Just for a second. Nothing too long. Wanted to calm my racing heart before getting a hold of my brother or friend. It was a sound plan. And would have been.

Had the sound of whatever the hell banging the door not happened. Not only did I hear it but I witnessed the effects of it. Saw the entire damn door rattle in its frame. My heartbeat once calm began to slowly accelerate. Because holy damn this shit was scary. Like it was right out of some freaking horror movie!

They weren't stopping. And worse their efforts were yielding results. As slow as they were.

Know how there is always that one stupid broad in the shows that just sits there? Even when its clear they should be doing something? Yeah well, now I knew why they did it. There was something just absolutely terrifying about seeing those who meant you harm advancing on you. Even if it was at the pace of a freaking slug. Because you knew and they both knew it was only a matter of time before your last hope crumbled...and then they'd have you.

A rather impressive hit brought me back to reality. The one where I was currently in danger. Because these jerks wouldn't give up the chase! And my brain finally caught up to me. Might be the only reason I caught sight of the small bulge on the wooden surface protecting me. But that was just me seeing things right?

Answer was: Apparently **NOT**! Would have to admit under different circumstances that it was impressive as hell to see someone punch a small hole through a door. Doubly so given this one was super thick and wooden. Right now all it did was send me into a mini panic attack. Which was both uncalled for and unneeded right now. But my opinion didn't matter now did it? Damn it all to hell!

Wait. Phone. I still had my little old as dirt flip phone on me. Which meant I could do something of us. Rather than sitting here cowering. Forcing my limbs to work while in this fear induced haze was bullshit.

But I had to. For Aleks. Giving up now would be an insult for all he had done for me. Focusing on the cool metallic surface of my phone helped a bit. Enough that I could at least get it opened so I could hold down the 3 key. My would be attacker was now wrestling with another presented problem.

How in the hell to free himself from the self made opening. This bought me more time. And I wasn't going to squander it. At least the damn thing was ringing. But no answer made me antsy. Come on big guy! Please...for me...just pick up!

By the third ring I found myself on my feet. Bastard almost had an idea of how to free his hand. So I did what came first to my mind: stabbing a pen at wrist level. Took more force than I wanted but him being attacked caught him off guard. Breath uneven I stepped back watching the thing now flail about uselessly in a piss poor attempt to register what had just occurred to him. Funny all I could think was how he had more than earned it.

“Sans! Sweetheart, are you there?” Yiam's voice practically begged for me to answer.

The pen shattered, a beastly roar of furry met my ears. And the door was once again starting to crumble right before my eyes. A small whimper eeked out from some where. Had that been me?

“YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!”

I recoiled at the voice. Cowered instantly in the furthest corner I could scramble towards phone still clutched in my grasp. All I could hear was each hit. The sound drown everything else out around me. My chest started to throb in pain matching the rhythmic pace my heart set.

“SANS! ANSWER ME! PLEASE!” He sounded just as horrified as I felt.

“...help me...”

Could hardly remember a time my voice ever sounded like that. Frightened, small, shaking...weak. Like some abandoned child.

“I will! Just tell me where you are!” I could already hear him on the move.

Where Elron and Ivy behind him? I couldn't tell. Things were starting to swim again. My wobbly vision made my stomach churn so I shut my eyes nice and tight. Anything to try and escape whatever nightmare I'd been thrust into. None of this was real. It just couldn't be.

A point proven to me with a beep forcing Yiam's voice to cut out. My phone. It was dying.

“STUPID FUCKING BITCH!”

“I'm gonna enjoy breaking you in like the whore you are!”

“Sans please, I'm begging ya tell me where you are!”

Words. C'mon, I could speak. Knew I could. Wasn't all that hard to properly articulate my feelings or location. I was stronger than this damn it! So why...why couldn't I do anything?

Again and again he was begging for my location. Pleading as if it were his life on the line rather than me. Their threats chasing after his words to drown them out. And my mind screamed at me. Told me to eek out one fucking word. **_Bathroom_**.

But I couldn't even do that. Least not before my damn thing died. Left me all curled up on the floor in a quivering mess. Closing my eyes had been a mistake. Vertigo set in someone after. Couldn't tell how long it had taken to set in. Just knew it hadn't been there and suddenly was.

They wouldn't abandon me right? Aleks wouldn't...leave me would he?

He would never! How fucking dare you think that!

Then where is he? Why isn't he here?!

He's coming! Just hold on!

I can't! I'm not strong enough!

Yes you fucking are! YOU HAVE TO BE FOR HIM!

How the fuck can I be when I'm...I'm...

No! Shut up! Shut up!

...I'm...

Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUTUP!

... _I'm alone_...

My chest seized up. Dread sank its nasty little clawed grip into my heart. Just long enough to tighten around the damn thing before it let go. But it's all that it needed to do. Because my world began to unravel at the implication. This was being back with my old man all over again.

Alone.

Weak.

Useless.

And no one was going to save me.

All that was with me were these animals. Literal ones. The two of them managed to finally blow the remainder of the door down with pure force. Couldn't even be sure if my eyes had opened before or after the damn thing crumbled like a cookie dunked one too many times in milk. Just knew there were standing there with their eyes locked on me.

And no, I wasn't exaggerating when I called them animals. The duo stood with a slight crook in their spine now. Hands elongated with claws and their faced now protruded outwards into an ever so slight muzzle. A light coat of fur bristled at their heckles while one of them lowered to all four. The other tromped towards me on only two legs. Guess this was it huh?

I was out of weapons. Out of plans. And out of time. In my madness I could only laugh. And smile at the encroaching danger before me. Sorry bro, guess I was a liar and a failure.

Closer and closer they stocked. One flexing claws. The other snapping at the air in front of him with those pointed fangs. Strange how inhuman my mind had made them. My mind had always been an active one. But nothing ever like animal human hybrids.

Heh. That grip upon my upper arm hurt. Fella knew just how to treat a lady didn't he? Didn't matter. Even though he went out of his way to draw my blood. A sad example of dominance really.

He would drag me behind him. My arm being twisted every witch way to get reactions from me. No doubt looking for pain or fear. That free hand of his grabbed my face. What it could at least given wrapping on my end. The pain one felt from a paper cut was inflicted on my face seconds later.

Cringing from the proximity to my bad eye stated the needs of my captor. But it would not save him from the whip catching his throat.

...Okay active mind or not that was completely out of left field! What in the hell was this bullshit? I couldn't even hallucinate like a normal person it seemed. God I was so messed up in the head...

The jerk was yanked back I did not accompany him. Rather rude of me. But the floor chose to cut in. With the help of gravity that is. Damn they really needed better carpeting. Because that had actually hurt just a bit.

“Sans!”

My head jerked to the location of my brothers voice. He hadn't been beside me a moment ago. So how was he now? What about idiot the second. Bastard was still a threat. Aleks almost seemed to understand what the gears in my head were working through. And his hands grabbed my shoulders.

“Don't look away from me. Please.” He begged.

Of all the things to ask of me that was simply the strongest. I knew logic grounded me. Helped me recover from these these little episodes I had. So I just had to understand his reasoning for such an awkward request.

“What? Why?” I felt so riddled with inquiry.

He bit his lower lip clearly struggling for the appropriate answer. As always he settled for the truth.

“I can't tell you. Just trust me please. It's best you don't know.”

And everything clicked at that moment.

The thing which I had been driving myself up the wall with trying to figure out since day one of school. My brother had known about this entire time. And what was worse. He was even apart of it. I loved my brother. Let no one say other wise, but this?

Aleks lowered his eyes to the floor. I knew he knew what my answer was. And knew of my inner turmoil. But when my head pivoted towards the now recognizable sounds of combat he didn't attempt to stop me.

Elron had been the master mind behind the whip. Currently the damn thing was in the midst of yanking a leg out from under one of the guys who had attempted to attack me. Proved to be quite inconvenient to for him. Given the creep had his hands full of attempting to restrain another, bulkier, male who looked a bit like them. His fur being a smokey gray was a drastic difference from the other two who sported more earthen hues. Don't even get me started on what Ivy was up to.

Dancing around while holding – WAS THAT A GOD DAMN BASTARD SWORD?! What the FUCK was wrong with school security?!

I recoiled at the sight of the woman using the blade as if it were no lighter than the baton she spun during all of those cheerleader shows. Her target did not have the blessing of such graceful maneuvers. My entire body cringed when the blade sank into his stomach. Guess mercy was off the table then? A sharp pitiful yelp from the first fight reaffirmed this belief very quickly. His body soon went as limp as the one Ivy had just shish kebabed.

With the tip of a hat he didn't even have Elron would tuck his whip away. Ivy took a bow as if on stage and finishing an act. And the guy with smokey gray fur? Who was quick to return back to normal. Was Yiam. All like it had been some part of a game they were playing. Didn't they realize the ramifications of their actions?!

They had JUST killed two people!

“What. The. _ABSOLUTE_. **Fuck**.”

They paused. Apparently either forgetting I had been there. Or expecting me to not look over. Was gonna go with the later seeing as how Elron was quick to slap a hand to his face. And this was after looking at Aleks. Who was still on the carpeted floor next to me.

“Alright now Sans. I need you to calm down and just breath.”

“...So it wasn't because of my panic attack. I literally just saw all of that.” I followed up on my suspicions.

The trio turned themselves to Aleks. Silently demanding why that little bit of information had been neglected.

“Never told him. So don't you dare go blaming him for this shit.” I stepped up to the clear ring leader. “I want answers. And I want them now.”

He looked torn with himself. Like he wanted to argue back with me he couldn't. Let him. I was ready with at least two counterarguments. One of them being that his choice went flying out the window the moment his little band started putting me in trouble. Because there was no other reason for me to have been targeted other wise.

I wasn't gonna stand by with a target on my back. That wasn't what 'friends' did to each other. There came an exceptionally long sigh from the shortest male. Afterwords he took his sweet time in removing his hand from his face. And finally after the entire display he would look up at me.

“Everyone grab your jackets.” He relented. “We're going to The Brothers.”

There was a moments hesitation from everyone. Like that name held massive importance. Or respect. If such were the case why was there this lingering tension in the air about going to see them? Whatever I couldn't stand to let my one and possibly only chance for answers slip through my fingers. I was going with or without the ragtag group and my brother.

“Fine” I spoke while picking up my previously discarded jacket. “And Elron?”

“Aye?”

No way I was going to let him have any wiggle room in this. Time for him to have a clear understand of my expectations.

“I swear if you even think about trying to make it somehow where I don't remember this...” I felt myself gearing up to rant at the other.

“Don't worry we won't.” Elron interjected. “Couldn't even if we wanted to.” Elron grumbled as his pinched the bridge of his nose.

Just what in the hell did THAT mean?


	4. Chapter 4

I couldn't help but lift a brow at the dingy little rat hole of a building we were walking towards. It was the only one the block currently not demolished by time, so there wasn't much use in denying how that had to be our detonation. As for the question of why Elron would bring me to such a seedy part of town? I didn't have much of an answer. But there was a better question here: why didn't Aleks seem more outwardly concerned at us being here? My brother's moral compass was always way better than mine. He still hadn't started to voice any concerns or growing fears even as we closed the distance.

Okay, I'd bite, why the hell was this place made an exception?

Didn't even look that classy of a place if we were going by outward appearances anyways. Because as far as I was concerned with the splintered stained glass window, the name sign having faded from time and looking like it was about to fall over, plus the several missing or other wise damaged bricks along the wall, place looked only remotely inhabitable. And judging by the secondary smaller sign in the before mentioned window there should have been a bouncer or some kind of security to greet us and check our ID because this place was a bar! Albeit an old one. The door Ivy was reaching for was a testament to that if that counted for anything.

Though she and Elron didn't seem to care – imagine that and note my heavy sarcasm if you will – and just waltzed right inside as if they owned the damn place. Glancing at Aleks didn't get me much in the way of answers, let alone conformation he saw me, he just followed after the first two. Left just met an' Yiam outside then. My face scrunched up in mild concern at this. Seriously, there were so many warnings and we were just ignoring them all? How did them having whatever powers give them a right to ignore common sense? A hand placing itself gently upon my shoulder ripped me from my own whirling thoughts. Yiam opened the door for me in an attempt to play the part of a gentlemen for me. I couldn't help the grin that split my face.

“Thanks,” I murmured under my breath.

“You're welcome sweetheart” He answered delightedly.

Well, couldn't stall any more then, time to go inside and see what the fuss was all about.

It was as if stepping over the thresh hold had caused me to cross over into an entirely new world. I saw cream colored walls tastefully decorated with a combination of photographs and masterfully created paintings. There were spotless tables, booths and floor all of which were made of of the same spotless dark wood. Currently all of them were vacant. And the lightning here was almost perfect blend of bright without being obnoxious to the senses. All of which were housed in some sort of of Victorian Gothic style casing and had been recently clean by the looks of it. All of it was done with a posh fanfare.

Okay, so it's seems I had judged this book by it's cover a bit too quickly. Aleks' lack of protesting made sense now, I guess? But that didn't answer how he knew it would be here in the first place. And – wait a second...th' hell was the barkeep? I came to ask myself this after realizing there was no commotion being to come and greet us, even after the little bell over the door had sounded our arrival.

Ivy had been quick to perch herself confidently at the bar like it was just her rightful place – which given how much I really knew of this group might have held true in some aspect – and just waited. Though after a few more moments of looking about the room I became aware of how deliberate her placement actually was. Because right across from her was a snoring lump pillowing his head on top of his folded arms. Well, that answered that most recent question. It was sorta neat how we shared the same color of hair. About then he yawned in a cat like fashion giving me time to glimpse his oddly luminescence and crimson colored tongue before he snuggled back into his make shift bed.

None of it phased me.

“Red, wake yer lazy arse up,” Elron huffed in annoyance.

The man in the black parka was unresponsive. “Shite, he got into the good stuff last night I see. Which means nothing short of a miracle or Boss himself walking out here will wake him up”

“Lemme try somethin'” I asked walking over.

“Be my guest – I'm willing to try anything at this point,”

With permission given I walked over and slapped both hands over his face. Time to see see how long he could go without breathing. When one of his hands slammed down on the counter top I chanced a glance. And my stomach dropped at the sight of the thing. I wish I could say that the size of it hadn't been intimidating, that I could just brush it off with an air of feigned confidence or truthful apathy. But I couldn't. Just the sheer mass of Red's mitt scared me for some reason I couldn't clearly identify. And I suddenly wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

I made to push away from him, hoping that I could seek shelter behind Yiam before the guy knew it was me, that plan quickly fizzled out when his other hand clamped tightly around both of my wrists at once. He gave me a beastly snarl while sitting up, a faint jingle of metal accompanying him as he did. And then his lips pulled back flashing a maw full of literal fangs at me. Light glinted off two of his two top canines canines which were both gold or had been made to look that way – strange detail to pick up on I know. But I just found myself fascinated at the display. His eyes finally opened and I couldn't stop myself from flinching as he focused on me.

Black sclera. Crimson irises. And I swore they were glowing ever so slightly. But it was gone a second later so maybe it was just the light playing with me? I could see the exact moment Red's rage was forgotten. His once twisted up face slacked becoming blank while he continued to hold onto my wrists in his grasp. After a few tense moments of silence he opened his mouth and spoke.

“...Hi...?” he said lamely in a deep gravely voice.

“H-hey,” I quipped back equally as pathetic.

And then he let go of me. Thank Gods there wasn't any bruising.

“Red, is Boss here?” Elron asked once more.

“'S in th' back.” Red answered still not looking away from me.

Elron shuffle into the back hastily leaving the rest of us here at the bar, and still Red refuse to tare his gaze away from me. W-well fine guess I'd return the favor in kind.

So it seems he liked to wear a red turtleneck under that massive bulking parka of his. And a spiked dog collar? I blinked in a confusion and awe at such a bold fashion statement. It still had a chain attached. Well as much of a chain as eight or ten links could be that is. But they were there, and must have been the cause for the jingling from before.

“Now who'd do a thing like that to a sweet thing like you?”

His hand was instantly against the side of my face with the chemical burn. It hadn't even been that quick of an action. But I still flinched away from the hand – well tried to since he'd captured me before I even knew it. My air hitched while my eyes closed tightly in anticipation for the pain. I waited, heart racing, knuckles white against the bar top...

Numbness...and then a tingling warmth spread through out my skin. After a few more shaking breaths I dared to let my eyelids flutter open. Red sat there a look of expectancy on his face. He seriously wanted me to answer? I choked out a laugh at this sudden realization a off-kilter grin took its place on my lips.

“C'mon sweetheart, I ain't a mind reader” his thumb rubbed circles against my skin. “Why don'tcha tell ol' Red who it was so I can go and fucking strangle the fuck?”

He was completely serious. Maybe that's why I kept chuckling weakly in an attempt to disregard it a joke.

“Nah, ain't worth it. Besides what if it's th' same bastard who gave you that?” I pointed up towards the healed gashes over his right eye.

“Fucker who gave me this was dead long before you got that kiddo. But if it were him I'd go into hell, drag him back, beat his ass senseless and send him back”

“...You don't even know me. Why do you care?”

“Maybe because I see a lot of you in me, and that ain't a good thing.”

“Eh, s' life,” I lamely shrugged.

He snorted loudly and his grip slid away from me.

“Ain't that th' truth...” Red tapped a single finger against the bar.

A moment later he spoke again.

“Ya know sweetheart you could give the guy the wrong impression if you look at him like that fer too long. What's on yer mind?”

“Jus' been wondering something is all...”

“About how good my clothes would look on your bedroom floor?”

...Well, that had come outta left field rather quickly. From beside me, Ivy was burst into laughter while Aleks floundered with proper words. Yiam, however, was quick to snatch me up in his arms. Much to the annoyance of Red. They seemed to have a rather heated conversation between the two of them using their eyes alone. I, however, didn't miss a beat.

“You kidding? My mom would murder me. I can't pick up my own damn mess let alone some pets.”

“Scathing!” his baritone voice guffawed in amusement. He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye before leaning down towards me once more that wide grin on his face. “Really do like you sweetheart, sure you don't wanna join me in bed tonight?”

“Why so you can tell me about your daddy issues?”

“Ain't you one to talk.” he snickered turning from me.

“Curious thing to say Red.”

“I'm a curious sort of guy kiddo.”

That was an interesting thing to crack back. My head tilted to the side questioningly – it wasn't like he could have actually known. But out of all the things he could have said it had been that one. I watched him rummage around behind the counter. He swore and grumbled before plopping a brown glass bottle down in front of me. I pulled it close when he motioned for me to then rolled it between my hands looking at the surface. Turns out he had given me an old fashion Root beer soda.

My jaw slackened slightly uncertain as to what should be said for this.

“Besides, you and I both know that won't happen...”

Glancing up alerted me to him no longer being in front of me. And the hand on my back clued me into where he had shifted to. His breath against the nape of my neck had my heart racing in terror from the unwanted proximity between us.

“...because your an Ace: Ain'tcha _**Sans**_?”

_He wasn't going to hurt you_. I just knew that somehow. It was there in the back of my mind as clear as day that reminded me of this. That should have been disturbing to me. Placing that much trust in a total stranger! _But he's not a stranger, he's Red_. Knowing his name didn't make him any less of a stranger. So then why was my faith in him so strong? _Because he's your friend_.

But I had never met this man until today, more over I'd never given him my name to start with...so then how...?

My body turned around to face him with an agonizing slowness to it. Red stood there a knowing – but very friendly – grin on his face, hands in his pockets. He made no effort to hurry me along seemingly content with the speed I chose. It was all so...familiar like déjà vu from a dream or something. But I just couldn't grasp the memory it was slipping between the cracks of my fingers like water and it was so fucking maddening!

“How did-?”

“Sans?”

I yelped in shock at Elron's voice suddenly calling my name.

“Whoa – are you alright there Sans?”

My eyes dared to look up at Red who was still standing there holding the nearly forgotten soda bottle in one of his hands. He chuckled while placing it on the counter top.

“Boss is better at explaining than I am sweetheart. Best t' go ask him 'kay?” Red helped me off the bar stool and over towards Elron.

“Perfect timing then. Boss wanted to speak to Sans himself, so I'm sure he'll have no troubles answering whatever questions you have for him alright?” Elron patted my back. “Off you go. Down the hall to the left, can't miss his office.”

“Uhhh? Okay? Thanks, I guess...”

Boss wasn't anything like Red I found out. Where Red was a bit disheveled in his awkward appearance (seriously who whore black track shorts with a turtleneck?) this man was immaculate. Honestly, it left me feeling a bit...self-conscious. And I hated when that shit happened to me. I hated anything that reminds me about all of my glaring issues. My short stature, my less than perfect weight, my freakish hair color, my one blind eye, my defective lungs that tried to kill me nearly on a daily basis, even my comfortably baggy clothing I was currently in. All of it came slamming down at once. ...And in a childish moment, I decided right then I hated Boss.

“You're more than welcome to take a seat if you'd like Sans.” he casually stole a glance at me before turning back towards his paperwork.

“I'd rather stand – problem with it?”

“None, actually, though I had hoped that you would give me a chance and be open minded rather than shut me out: As many have done to you no doubt.”

I felt my face flush with heat.

“That's...fair...” I sighed and offered the best apologetic smile I could muster while sitting down. “Sorry 'bout that.”

“It's alright. You are not the first to feel this way nor will you be the last I suppose.” he finally tore his gaze away from the pages in front of him and looked at me. No I mean, REALLY looked at me, like he saw past the mask I'd build up over the years. And it made me glad. “Might I ask, however, what is it about me that troubles you?”

“Well your just so...what I mean is...” How did I get my point across without sounding like an insecure baby?

“Are you worried that you might insult me somehow?”

“Yeah, kinda?”

“I assure you that won't happen.”

“Well – you're really well put together, it sorta intimidates the fuck outta me,”

“Oh,” he said after a moments pause and some blinking. “Well, that's an easy enough fix.”

There came some form of mild amusement in watching a posh looking man such as Boss remove his suit jacket and muss up his hair in an attempt to lessen my discomfort. I tried and failed to contain my laughter at the display I now saw before me.

“Better?” he smirked.

“Somehow it looks so wrong on you,” I wheezed. “But mission accomplished.”

We divulged into idle chit chat after that. Boss was a rather patient fellow I discovered was just as eager to listen to me prattle on as he was willing to speak. He was forthright with his words refusing to believe I couldn't handle them, it was rather refreshing. About half way through my second cup of tea I caught his gaze on me in one of the little bouts of silence we had. Normally this didn't bother me as loads of people did it, mostly because of my eye remember, but there was something different about his. He was looking at me like...like...

... _like a dear friend_...

But I had never met him in my entire life.

_Are you so sure about that?_

My breath caught tight in my chest at those words my mind supplied to me.

“You've known the answer all along, but you refuse to believe it.”

“Huh?” My head tilted automatically to the side in question.

“I'm not even certain why you're here seeking answers: When you've known them all along Sans.”

“Sorry – what?”

“You've known the answer this entire time Sans. About those Pure from today. About your brother and how he managed to catch you. You've just been refusing to acknowledge it is all. Because of a mortal's natural defenses against things like us, but that's just it – you're not a mortal. Well, at least not a normal one.”

“Wait, wait, wait you're telling me that I _**know**_? What a load of bull. I don't know because nothing made sense!”

“Are you so sure?”

“Yes!”

“Why is that?”

“Because there was no logical answer!”

“So you had an illogical answer then?”

I could feel the quickening pulse of my heart that very moment. A panic was starting to tightly grip my chest. He didn't know what he was implying i-if I could only make him understand then maybe... _I don't want to think about that_.

“...T-that would mean that they....that he...” My words and thoughts were starting to jumble as I forced them to form despite my rising discomfort.

“You should know...” Boss' voice ensnared my focus suddenly. “...that I see through lidless eyes.”

_You know those words_. It was true, I did know them. They echoed a familiar cord within my mind bringing my train of thought back under control. But where had I-? _The book, you read it last week, it was about..._

“...Mage...” I whispered to no one really, eyes widening slowly.

“Which means...what, exactly?” Boss urged me along calmly.

“I-it means those boys...”

_Snarling sounds, low guttural growls from a muzzle protruding from their face._

_White glistening fangs snapped at the air in front of them as they advanced._

_Eyes round but filled with an inhuman intelligent for animals._  

“...they're...like my brother...”

_Thunder reverberating all around._

_No, the sound of his frantic running._

_Then a gust of wind and debris._

_And finally his arms around me._  

“...they aren't human.”

An understanding hum came from Boss as he watched over me during this entire ordeal. What was he looking for? A kind of weakness to exploit? Or maybe a reason to call the authorities and have me locked away like a few others had done before hand. He stood up suddenly. And even that was graceful as fuck. But his hair was still a mess so I didn't feel bothered by it for long. Got a few chuckles out of the way his hair bounced about.

“And how do you feel?” He asked from beside me.

“Like me? I donno. Was I suppose to feel different after something like that?”

“There are times where people often come into their powers after admitting or realizing such things. Just as I had hoped you would. However, you continue to surprise me.”

“Take it that means nothing happened?”

“Yes and no.” One of his hands came to rest on my shoulder. “It hardly matters right now. You must be absolutely sapped from today. You should head home and get some rest. After all, I heard we were expecting snow tomorrow.”

Snow huh? Don't think I'd ever seen snow before.

* * *

...

_You felt your mind expanding outwards. Clawing its way past all of the shatterable resistances that stood in your way. Your mind, with all of its raw power, began to twist the very fabric of reality around you. It was a hard thing to explain. But you knew that was what was happening that very moment. Knowing this made a pain unlike any other bloom to life in your chest. You ignored it. Continuing to rip apart the threads of fate and the simple minds of those around you before weaving them flawlessly back together._

_Really, this was for the best. Even if your heart felt like it was being slowly dissected into tiny bits. You loved you brother, you had sacrificed everything for him growing up, but you would not forsaken The Band. Not for him. Not for anyone._

“ _What the hell are you doing?!” his voice screeched at you._

_You ignored him and focused on your work. And when your mind started to relinquish its hold on all of those around you it slunk back to its natural state. Before you even opened your eyes you knew they were all unconscious, even your brother, except for **him**. He would be the only one to remember. Because you wanted him to suffer. To extract some sort of vengeance on him for having pushed you to make this choice._

_He hadn't even picked himself up from your attack. Rather he sat there on his knees like the hapless bastard he truly was. But even as you looked him he could not recall his face._

“ _You can't taint something that never was...” You spoke to him with a voice that threatened to shatter with each word. “...And I will never see you again, this I promise you.”_

_The faceless man scrambled towards you. His words were full of venom and spite as you allowed yourself to simply fall backward. You fell into a hole – one of your portals your mind supplied – and everything went black._

_**…** _

 

_Another winning hand of cards. Red sat looking at your in disbelief as Boss attempted, and failed, to hide his growing laughter._

“ _Fuck you! Yer cheatin'!” Red accused throwing down his cards in a childish fashion._

_You don't retort back opting instead to grin rather smugly at him as you lift your drink to your lips._

“ _What's wrong Red, I thought you said you were good at this game?” Elron teased the other man somewhere to your right._

“ _FUCK YOU!” Red roared back hurling an obsidian colored blade at the shorter male._

_The silver haired Halfling dodged it easily enough giggling like the little shit that he was the entire time. You couldn't help but snicker into your wine glass._

“ _'Ey now – watch it you could poke someone's eye out with that thing.” Elron scolded in a mocking voice. “And we wouldn't want that now would we Red? Today is a happy day!”_

“ _No one's this lucky their first time at cards.” He sourly muttered while recalling his blade to his hand._

“ _Aye, you're probably right. Though I suppose having a bit of beginners luck never hurt either~”_

_You just watched the chaos unfold as Red's eyes began to slowly widen in an understanding of the Bard's words. A furry lit in those ruby colored eyes as he snarled a warning before launching right at the other. It was just too much. Thank Gods you had put your glass down, you were gasping for air as the two ran around like wild children. Red was always two steps behind the smaller man but he got an A for all of his effort in trying to pin down the tricky little fellow. Boss quickly excused himself as you slapped the table to try and keep yourself somewhat composed._

_It didn't work. Hell, it never worked – but at least you tried._

  _ **…**_  

“ _Sweetheart...?” Red called._

_His soft voice caused you to jump and you spun around to face him. His bright glowing eyes pinned you there as you remembered what you had been doing moments prior to his arrival. Hastily you wipe away the dampness from your eyes and slip into your best smile._

“ _Hey, Red, howszit?”_

_He walked up to you and cupped your face in his hands. Tenderly he wiped the tears you had missed from your face. You strained to keep your smile from wobbling wobbled downwards._

“ _I hate seeing you in pain...” He whispered putting his forehead to yours. “...talk to me, please,”_

_A choked sob escapes you while your own hands tangle themselves in his shirt. He went with you as you fell to your knees from your loss. A set of strong arms captured you at torso level a second warm body now held you with a firm resolve to protect you from any more pain._

“ _Please don't suffer in silence dearest.” Boss's voice begged._

“ _H-he's gone...I-I should have been there for him.” You choked on your own words. “THAT BASTARD KILLED MY BROTHER!”_

_The brothers fell silent for a moment._

“ _I'm so sorry,” Boss whispered into your ear. “I cannot fathom your pain.”_

“ _Me either...” Red kissed your forehead and sighed._

“ _I-I sh-o-ld've b-een there...” You hiccup using the heels of your hands to clean your face._

“ _Absolutely not!” Boss snapped angrily. “That is exactly what he wanted! And I will be damned before I let you be taken from us.”_

_Red gave a sharp nod indicating he agreed strongly with those words._

“ _Why do you even care?”_

_The duo seemed baffled._

“ _Because you're family, that's why,” Boss sounded as if it should have been obvious._

“ _Look,” Red noticed my confused face. “In life there is the blood your born with and the blood you accept as yours. An' that's you t' us. Like you with th' Band. Make sense?”_

“ _Y-yeah,” A slight smile appeared._

“ _Good. Then let us get to bed sister.”_

_Their forms shifted into massive scaled winged beasts. The black form was first to claim a spot beside you. With a deep rumble of a purred growl the red one wrapped around you both. They seemed to sigh in content before stretching out their large wings to give you both bed and blanket for the evening._

_**…** _

_Red rolled his eyes at the playful jabs he got from Elron and Ivy. He waved them off as he got up on stage and sat at the piano. His brother was already in the midst of adjusting his violin for playing. Ivy and El crack a few more jokes. Then the brothers start to play. And it's the most beautiful thing you've ever heard._

_The music is soft in tune but powerful enough to capture everyone's attention. It's got a tempo that walks the line between fall-into-the-arms-of-your-lover slow as hell and shake-your-hips-to-it fast. You find yourself in love with whatever melody it is they're playing._

_Yiam approaches you one hand outstretched, he wished to have a dance with you. You make an interesting face at this._

“ _You know I've got two left feet yeah?”_

_He shrugs that goofy grin on his face. “Well...don't say I didn't warn ya.”_

_Yiam is too elated to care despite how awful of a dancer you prove yourself to be. Sure you earn more than a few laughs at the stumbling mess that you present. But its all in good fun. Besides – he had been warned. And you knew it was because he was still actively trying to court you, even though he was already married to an Amazonian queen no less. You being an ace didn't bother him one bit he was willing to wait. It was kind of cute but you worried about the silly barbarian sometimes._

_Oh well._

**…**

_A wave of primal fury and pain tore itself from your throat that instant. With shaking hands, you grasped tightly onto Yiam's shoulder. He was like ice under your fingertips and somehow that made the wild animalistic rage writhe even harder against your ribs. You forced it down and moved to whoever was closest. But it didn't matter, it was the same with all of them. He had taken everything from you once again._

_No. No. No, no, no, no, nonononononoNO!_

_Your voice was raw with emotions. It ripped itself from your throat into a beastly roar fitting of the blood you had recently integrated into yourself. A white-hot pain jolted down your arms coming to rest in the palms of your hand. It helped you ignore the dull throbbing pain echoing atop your skull. But it did nothing for the losses you had suffered at that bastard's hands._

“ _Sweetheart!”_

“ _Sister!”_

_Their voices brought you back from the brink of madness. You didn't even hesitate to sprint up to them and envelop them both in a tight needy hug as soon as you were within reach._

“ _You're alive!” You croaked._

“ _Thank th' Gods yer still here. Though th' prick too off with ya.”_

“ _But...my family...”_

“ _They're not dead,” Boss informed me in a matter-of-fact voice._

“ _What?”_

“ _Their souls are missing. But they are very much alive, I swear this to you.”_

“ _I believe you.”_

“ _Good – then go. Boss an' I'll hold th' fort down while you go an' kick his sorry ass.”_

“ _Are you sure?”_

“ _We got this.” Red flashed a fanged grin._

“ _Okay, okay I'll do it. Any idea what world he's in? What universe?”_

“ _None. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.”_

“ _It's fine Boss. Just means I've got my work cut out for me.”_

“ _A gift before you depart.”_

“ _Yeah?” You paused._

_The brothers produced a small gem. I hadn't ever seen these diamond cut jewels which was quite odd considering how well I knew their personal treasure horde. You desired to ask about them but the siblings weren't keen on allowing that. Rather they were quick to force them into your chest with magic before you could protest their actions. A nasty wet cough overcame you the second they were done. Blood spattered your hand as she sent them each a death glare._

“ _Little WARNING next time?” You snarled as best you could._

“ _Apologies sister. We needed to implant them somewhere where they could not be accessed by others while making sure they would remain with you always.”_

“ _So you punched them into my lungs?!”_

“ _More like fused – worried about the semantics of it later.”_

“ _Assholes.” You chuckled._

“ _Oh, one last thing: Return to us sister.”_

“ _Yeah Sweetheart. Come back to us alright?”_

_You agreed._

_**…** _

_Frig this was cold! You hissed from the pain of the impact but started to get onto your feet. As unsteady as your limbs were you had to ready yourself. That asshole was the reason you'd ended up face first in this white powdery stuff. No matter how many times you beckoned for them your powers refused to answer. You were still acclimating to this new world and its rules. Which currently left you defenseless._

“ _How very interesting...to think you followed me all the way here. My goodness, these fools must mean the world to you.”_

_The wild blood of the beast stirred within my gullet. It craved his blood, to feel my claws rend flesh from bone, to hear him scream in agony as payment for all the wrongs he had committed against us. You turned with a slight stiffness in my limbs and a fire in my heart. What control you had slipped at the sight of the faceless man levitating some uncut gems in the air around him. He had dared to flaunt the souls of my family before you. And in that tactless moment, you forfeited consciousness._

_**…**_  

“ _Man 'm glad I had a backup plan for just this occasion.” A woman (you just knew it was a woman) whistled._

_You now sat in a white room with nothing but her with you. It was so strange to look at her, to see her face obscured, and yet not be able to properly place the face. She waved off the confusion you expressed through your mind. Which you weren't even sure how you knew would work in the first place._

“ _It's all good. Don't worry 'bout it.”_

_How could you not? She seemed to know so much and you knew so little. But you wanted to understand. To have all of her information at your fingertips. An air of sadness swirled around you both. And she held out her hands. These...snow globe-sized orbs appeared in the air around her. She took her time in examining them each – one for each of the memories you had just regained. Again you somehow knew that's what they were without knowing how._

“ _Hm. Jus' as I thought. Was my old man who did this to us.” She sighed and pushed the orbs aside._

_You expressed your curiosity._

“ _Let's not get into that right now okay? Maybe at a later time an' date.”_

_Was just this a ploy to avoid questions which were important because of emotional shit she didn't want to deal with._

“ _Bingo.”_

_You related to this so you expressed an understanding in her desire to pass. That got a chuckle from her. But now what? Where did this leave the two of you then?_

“ _Well, first off don't worry too much 'bout these. I swear everything will come in time.”_

_You understood._

“ _Secondly: Find The Band.”_

_An eek of surprise escaped you. Did she mean The Band of the Ringed Leaf?_

“ _Yeah. Trust them. Even El – he's a smarmy asshole I know but when push comes to shove that bastard will always have your back.” Her blue eyes saddened a small bit. “No matter the universe or the world, The Band will protect you. You gotta remember that okay? **No matter what**.” She placed heavy emphasis on those three words._

_The woman seemed pleased when you let her know that you understood._

“ _Secondly: Trust the brothers. They'll do right by ya, and be wary 'bout that brother 'f yours.”_

_Again you let it be known you understood. Even if it seemed a bit much to ask. Aleks had been good to you after all, kinder than most. But it seemed important to her that you agreed._

“ _And lastly,” She approached cupping one of your hands into both of hers. “Take this. And with it show your foes nothing but M **ercy and Forgiveness**.”_

_Her face was starting to register in your mind. Stupor and bewilderment began to be thrown off you in waves as she smiled at you releasing your hands. Her face...it was..._

“ _ **Come back to us sweetheart.”**_

* * *

 

I woke up in my room, sprawled out on the floor, clutching something in my hand. Hefting myself up on the other arm with my free hand I uncurled my fingers. Another gem. This one orange in hue rather than the dark crimson and pitch black from your dream. It felt right to own this thing, whatever it's purpose. But I could get back to that in a bit.

Right now I was still a bit shaken as to the understanding of the last face I had seen before waking up. As impossible as it had been that's what it was. How could I have been so stupid as to now know sooner? It was so obvious! I lightly laughed to myself then spoke aloud

“... _ **me**_...”

 


End file.
